TEMECULA: Children's festival to focus on 'wonders of Japan'

Annual Japanese Matsuri expected to draw thousands

TEMECULA -- All things Japanese will take over a section of Old
Town on June 6 when the annual Children's Matsuri comes alive.

Taiko drummers, Okinawan dances, Ikebana flower displays,
Hokusai and Hiroshige wood-block demonstrations, art lessons and
martial arts performances, as well as traditional Japanese music
and food, are all a part of what makes the day so special, said
Susan Osuna, co-chairwoman of the event and a board member for the
Temecula Sister City Association, which hosts the annual
festival.

"Our goal is to teach the community about the Japanese culture
and our sister-city relationship," Osuna said of the event, now in
its seventh year. "Many people are not aware of our sister-city
relationship and what it entails."

Temecula has a sister-city relationship with two cities,
Leidschendam-Voorburg in the Netherlands, and Nakayama-Daisen in
Japan. The sister-city partnership includes exchanges involving
students, City Council members, law enforcement officers, parents
and business leaders.

The matsuri, which means festival in Japanese, is one of the
association's biggest events, Osuna said.

"We had between 4,500 and 5,000 people last year," she said.
"It's continually growing and growing."

This year's theme is "Natural Wonders of Japan," and displays on
cherry blossoms, Mount Fuji, origami and calligraphy will be
included, Osuna said.

Arts and crafts and games are a big part of the fun during the
festival, she said.

"We want all the kids to go home having learned something about
Japan, and know they have a sister-city relationship with another
city," she said. "It's a fun day, and they are introduced to the
Japanese culture in an interactive way."